Possibliity of Spinal Meningitis

[xmelax35]

I am a year and 2 months post op of a suboccipital dcompression laminectomy C1.  I realize for one I might have to have the surgery again.  This time I am hoping to have it at the Cleveland Clinic, instead of where I had it before it was a nightmare at best!  Anyway, I have had problems ever since my surgery and I am tons worse.  I even have a fluid watery fluid coming out of my nose.  People from a group I belong to told me it could be CSF and I did the pillow test and it came out round and halo like.  It does this when I bend over or lean over.

Anyway I always have a headache, this one is different, weird I know, but a person can have different types of headaches as I have discovered, unfortunately.  This one is the one I kind of had before my surgery where as when I move it is worse, but if I lay down it is somewhat better.  Now the last few days my neck is very sore and STIFF.  Could I possibly have meningitis?  The reason I am asking is that I was told that is a sign.  I knew this because after my surgery I was told to watch out for it for awhile.   I did nothing to cause this stiffness.  It came on kind of suddenly.  

I will tell you that I always have headaches, back and front, back of head is sore to the touch inside and out, neck pain but not sore like this is now, back pain, leg pain, face pain, and have had dizziness and lightheadedness for months now.  I am feeling a bit nauseated here and there now I think due to the pain, etc...

I don't know if this will help but this is my last MRI and I don't know what this means, hope you can tell me what it means: Past surgical changes of suboccipital cranioctomy. The cerebellar tonsils protrude inferiorly into the foramen magnum and are somewhat deformed consistant witht he patient's history of Chiari malformation.

I don't know what the deformed part means and what the inferiorly protruding, either.  

Anyway, any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you ahead of time.

[xmelax35]

HI.  Thanks for your input.  I appreciate it.  I am going to the Cleveland Clinic in a week.  I am hoping they do a whole work up on me and find the cause of all my symptoms and pain.  I heard they were miracle workers, that they find what others do not.

Anyway, I know it is not a rebound headache, because I had the headaches severely before I ever took any medication.  There was a point where I did not take because, over the counter meds did not work at all, I would just practically scream, crying a lot.  So I had them all along without meds.  I wish that was all it was.  My head damage is extensive, I have had a lot of head injuries, so many, that I am surprised I lived through some of them, that I am still alive.

Thanks again,
Melissa

[Neuro Forum]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.

Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of your symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

As you mentioned, there are many causes to headache and neck stiffness. One certainly is meningitis. I can not comment if this is the cause in your case, and would best be evaluated by a physician in person. Headaches can occur due to low CSF pressure due to CSF leaks, and such headaches worsen in the seated or standing position and improve on lying down. However, most commonly, in patients with Arnold Chiari malformation, headaches are chronic and unrelated to the presence of the Chiari.

One cause of neck pain associated with headache is cervicogenic headache. Cervicogenic headache is a headache that is "referred" to the head from bony structures, muscles, and other soft tissue in the neck and shoulders. Symptoms are usually one-sided and include: precipitation of head pain by neck movement or awkward neck positions, head pain when external pressure is applied to the neck or occipital region, restricted range of motion of the neck, and neck, shoulder and arm pain. Treatment for cervicogenic headache includes physical therapy, medications, behavioral therapy, and other modalities.

A common cause of headaches in people with chronic headaches is called medication rebound or medication overuse headache: medications as simple as tylenol or advil if used too much can cause rebound headaches that are even worse then the headaches for which the medications were started for.

I recommend continued follow-up with your physician regarding your symptoms. Evaluation by a headache specialist may benefit you if you have tried multiple medications for your headaches without relief.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.

[xmelax35]

p.s.s  incase you mention meds, I am allergic to morphine - made me sick, compazine severe jitters - found this out at the hospital they had to reverse with benadryl, lyrica, cymbalta - ended up at ER with these 2 severe rash, and also we have tried neurontin but it did not do so well - it made me feel really horrible.  I am sensitive to meds, I guess.  

[xmelax35]

P.S. I also have a 5 mm stable benign tumor likely a dermoid or lipoma in the suprasellar region near the right optic tract - could this be the result of the terrible right facial and right eye pain that I get a lot of times?  It puts me down for a few days in bed. The tumor was origionally diagnosed in 1997 at about 1 - 2 mm and is now  5 mm as of 2008, haven't had it checked lately.